Frequently Asked Questions

MIECHV’s authorizing statute (Social Security Act, Section 511(d)(3)(A)(i)(1) [42 U.S.C. 711(d)(3)(A)(i)(1)]) requires that models implemented through MIECHV be evaluated using well-designed and rigorous randomized controlled research designs or quasi-experimental designs (QEDs). Therefore, HomVEE only reviews studies using these types of designs. In addition to randomized controlled trials (RCTs), HomVEE reviews three types of QEDs: (1) single-case designs (SCDs), (2) regression discontinuity designs (RDDs), and (3) non-experimental comparison group designs (NEDs). These are the only study designs that are eligible for review by HomVEE.

Study designs vary in their relative risk of bias—that is, they vary in the extent to which researchers can be confident that impacts are due to home visiting rather than other factors. HomVEE accounts for risk of bias when assigning ratings to research. Generally, HomVEE assigns manuscripts about impact studies a rating of high, moderate, or low. Research with a higher risk of bias receives a lower rating. HomVEE routinely contacts authors if additional details are needed to assess the appropriate rating to assign to the manuscript. The fourth rating HomVEE can assign is “indeterminate.” An indeterminate rating means that HomVEE reviewers lacked sufficient information on one or more features of the study design to rate the manuscript as high or moderate. A rating of indeterminate is not a statement about the quality of the research or the research design. For more details, please see Chapter 3 of the Handbook of Procedures and Evidence Standards located on the Resources page.

HomVEE focuses its resources on reviewing manuscripts about impact studies that answer the review’s core question of whether an early childhood home visiting model is effective. Research that answers other questions is not eligible for review by HomVEE. For example, questions about for whom and under what circumstances a model is effective are valuable to the field but beyond the scope of the HomVEE review.

Research evaluating the impact of an isolated model feature or group of features is generally ineligible for HomVEE’s annual review, as are certain types of findings based on (1) covariate-unadjusted analyses, (2) item-level measures, and (3) binary variables. Additionally, analyses designed to answer questions other than whether a model is effective are generally ineligible for review. A longer discussion of contrasts that HomVEE reviews and ineligible and preferred analyses can be found in Chapter 3 of the Handbook of Procedures and Evidence Standards.

HomVEE’s Reporting Guide for Authors provides guidance about how to describe each eligible research design and how to report findings in a way that is clear, complete, and transparent. Reporting the information described in the Reporting Guide for Authors is considered a best practice in general, but it can also help HomVEE reviewers determine the appropriate rating to assign to the manuscript.

HomVEE reviews existing research about early childhood home visiting models. HomVEE assesses the quality of the research and whether it shows evidence that a model is effective. HomVEE does not make determinations about which models are eligible to be implemented using MIECHV funds. See FAQ “Are models on HomVEE’s website automatically eligible for MIECHV funding?” for more information about MIECHV eligibility.

The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program supports implementation of early childhood home visiting models to help pregnant women and families with young children to improve their health and well-being. MIECHV uses HomVEE to ensure that the models it supports demonstrate evidence of effectiveness.

A HomVEE designation as an evidence-based model does not guarantee that a model is eligible to be implemented with MIECHV funding. To be implemented using MIECHV funds, a model must meet statutory requirements for a model (as determined by HRSA), including the HHS criteria for evidence of effectiveness (as determined by HomVEE). The list of MIECHV eligible models is provided in the model search. In addition, MIECHV’s authorizing statute allows awardees to utilize a portion of their MIECHV funding for a model that qualifies as a promising approach. For additional information on the MIECHV Program, see the HRSA website.

The HomVEE model search provides a pre-filtered list of MIECHV-eligible models. You can use the search features on this page to easily find models that align with your specific needs. This page allows you to search for models by favorable results in specific outcome domains, ages of the children served, intended populations corresponding to MIECHV-priority populations, and specific implementation characteristics, such as duration or intensity of home visiting services, available program languages, and experience working with Indigenous communities.

For a more in-depth look at a specific model, click on the model name in the search results. This will bring you to a model profile that includes a model overview, intended populations and outcomes, and information on implementation support available from the model developer.